Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses

HOT TO TROT Hot sandwich restaurant Toaster Oven is crossing the bridge to the East Bay and opening soon on Telegraph Avenue. The chain, which has three locations in San Francisco, serves meat and vegetarian grilled sandwiches, as well as breakfast sandwiches, shakes and cookies. Toaster Oven Berkeley will be at 2309 Telegraph, right next to Chipotle.

LOCAL COFFEE FIX For Berkeleyans who can’t get enough caffeine fixes from Peet’s, let it be known that the city’s ninth store opened on November 14th at 3200 College Avenue (at Alcatraz) in the space formerly occupied by A’ Cuppa Tea — as previewed by us in September.

Sticky Art Lab

MESSY CREATIVITYSticky Art Lab, opened this Fall by Rachel Knudson, offers toddler and preschooler-friendly activities and materials during the day, then, after school, the bigger kids rule the roost. The family art studio specializes in re-use and natural materials, and has a consignment gift shop which features the crafts of local artists. Sticky Art Lab is at 1682 University Avenue.

Mulholland on Fourth St

BAG IT UP Luxury leather goods company Mulholland has opened a Berkeley store on Fourth Street — right next door to California Closets, another newcomer to our city. Mulholland sells luggage, briefcases, clothing and travel accessories, and last week was holding a warehouse sale two blocks from its store. The company was founded by a Bay Area family in 1984. Mulholland is at 1710 Fourth Street.

Birthday for Elmwood Café

BIG DAY The Elmwood Café which opened in March 2010, will be celebrating its “90th” birthday on December 5th and is inviting the whole Berkeley community to participate. The café took over the Ozzie’s Soda Fountain space which was established on College Avenue in 1921, hence the vintage age. Mayor Tom Bates and the Berkeley City Council have a proclamation announcing the 90th anniversary and recognizing the Elmwood Café’s work giving back to the community (owner Michael Pearce pledges to give half of the business’s profits to charity). The party is on December 5th at 7:00 pm at the café at 2900 College Avenue (at Russell).

Shop Talk is our regular column in which we post updates on Berkeley businesses — openings, closings, new directions, relaunches, relocations. If you’re a Berkeley business with news, or a Berkeleysider who has spotted a change in your neighborhood or on your travels, shoot us an email with the details. Read previous Shop Talk columns here.

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